VALLEY BOX BLOG

Get Lean and Green, Refurbish Packing Crates

Wed, Apr 1, 2015

When many people hear the word “refurbish” the first thing that might come to mind is the refurbished product is inferior to a new one. The truth is if you control the marshaling of a current inventory of wood crates you should consider reusing them, it pays to repair and maintain your investment to maximize the packages value. We’ll tell you why, but first, let’s discuss what refurbish packing crates are and are not in the world of packaging. A refurbished box, container, or crate:

May or may not be used

Can be brought back to “as new” condition

May or may not have been damaged prior to refurbishing

Can be re-purposed for a different use

Has been tested and approved

Refurbish packing crates are also brought back up to current standards (aka all of the bells and whistles) of a brand new box design. This could be the latest and greatest latch, hinge, foam, steel forklift guards, lighter weight technology, and more. This means, the customer will still get the same protection as a new box and the same quality to boot. Further, a refurbished box may be enhanced or customized to make it an even better fit for the customer than a new box. The following case study is a good example.

An Engine Manufacturer wanted to know if their 10 year old reusable boxes were repairable or if they needed to be replaced. The company wanted the most cost effective option. Valley Box technicians evaluated each box and noted all the materials needed to do the repairs. In the end the repairs cost less than the replacement.

Technicians removed the steel pieces on the boxes, cleaned any corrosion, and repainted them. Wood was replaced in sections that needed it to restore structural integrity. Upgraded hardware was added in place of old technology and the interior was carpeted and re-foamed. Finally, fresh paint brought the box back to its original luster.

Refurbishing the reusable boxes rather than buying new ones offered the following benefits:

Saved money. Projected 10-year cost savings were $150,000 for refurbished/reusable boxes over less than $50,000 for one time use boxes.

Short turn-around on repairs led to valuable time savings.

Eliminated waste and the need to use more materials and resources to build new boxes, which fit well with the company’s Green business practices.

Download the refurbish packing crates case study for before and after pictures and more details about refurbishing the process.

Valley Box demonstrates what is possible beyond just the typical wooden box. This specialty packaging manufacturer works with a wide variety of materials from wood to plastic, corrugate, metals and more. Discover how to take specialty packaging to the next level.